Halloween Horror Nights 2023 (USH) - Tips, Tricks, & Planning

[wutisgood]

In my experience in Orlando at least there has been a push to preload the lines in order to bait people with express to use it right away where people used to reserve express until at least an hour in. But horror nights in general has become increasingly more about making sure volume pushes express sales. Personally I wouldn't buy a Halloween event for regular price or express if I could come up with no plan to get everything done in a night. The few times I have missed a house was by choice not staying until the end of the event although I have never gone past October 1st which even was much worse than a week earlier.

Are things much worse in September in Hollywood vs Orlando? From a time savings standpoint if I am getting this you pretty much have to go day night combo if not doing express because the early people get let in at the same time as stay and scream from the gates now? I know Orlando was around 5:30 for the first houses but the gates were let in around 6 to 630. Is Hollywood blocking the general tickets until 7 with this early entry option? If the early entry gets in when the houses open for stay and scream they are just essentially an earlier park open with the benefit of not having planned (try to be at the front) access to stay and scream. The value I have always found is being at the very front of the first house on stay and scream. If universal is letting people in for paid early entry at the gates but does not block general until 7 this is probably going to be worse than before,

Generally you can read between the lines on universal pricing though, If you do not buy express or the day night combo at a minimum you ban basically get bent.

 

[Jerroddragon]

My plan is get in early and see how many i can do, then stay until 11 PM and get the express pass then.

But it's a whole deal, if I want snacks I have to get in the parks before like 2 PM because they set up security so early now.

 

[Jerroddragon]

Express is sold out of all weekend days in September (October has no sold out dates) but just wanted to give people a heads up to buy them sooner then later if your planning on getting express






Early Entry on the other hand has only sold out on the first weekend

 

[DTH]

Early Entry has always been nuts on opening weekend and then sparse on other weekends, so that makes sense. I'd be surprise if the other nights sell out.

 

[cdogsumo]

Have my own strategies in place in line with my priorities, but curious to see how others are approaching maze house order with Early Entry and Terror Tram and everything.

Keep in mind I’m going to TM preview so that changes things quite a bit.

*Rush to the lower lot*
1. ST 4
2. TLOU
*Back to the upper lot*
3. Get some food and wait for crowds to go down to the lower lot.
4. Universal Monsters
5. Chucky
6. Monstruos
7. Evil Dead Rise

If we are making good time, we might try to squeeze in Terror Tram or do a repeat at the end of the night. I think Holidayz and Exorcist are skips for my group, though.

 

[Jerroddragon]

Have my own strategies in place in line with my priorities, but curious to see how others are approaching maze house order with Early Entry and Terror Tram and everything.

Keep in mind I’m going to TM preview so that changes things quite a bit.

*Rush to the lower lot*
1. ST 4
2. TLOU
*Back to the upper lot*
3. Get some food and wait for crowds to go down to the lower lot.
4. Universal Monsters
5. Chucky
6. Monstruos
7. Evil Dead Rise

If we are making good time, we might try to squeeze in Terror Tram or do a repeat at the end of the night. I think Holidayz and Exorcist are skips for my group, though.

Is 3 when you are seeing the shows as well?

 

[cdogsumo]

Is 3 when you are seeing the shows as well?

Might be a good time to do Purge if the mood strikes us. Blumhouse might be a last minute jump in line sort of deal to close the night out.

I’m just glad the shows are back to eat some people.

 

[bigclown94]

LL is gonna be insane this year. 4 mazes is scary!

 

[Jerroddragon]

LL is gonna be insane this year. 4 mazes is scary!

Early Entry in the LL is going to be....insane.
SNW guests, normal guests (which crowds aren't slowing down much), Early Entry guests and I'm sure some APs that are in the park without a EE ticket but staying in the area until they can go in mazes

 

[deadbydawn]

Are we expecting the early entry mazes to be all 4 on the Lower Lot? Assuming they will drop that information semi soon?

 

[Clive]

Early Entry in the LL is going to be....insane.
SNW guests, normal guests (which crowds aren't slowing down much), Early Entry guests and I'm sure some APs that are in the park without a EE ticket but staying in the area until they can go in mazes

I'm not usually as pessimistic as you can be sometimes, but I have to agree here. This feels like a recipe for trouble, and they better have a hell of a crowd control plan ready to go on opening night.

 

[chris.g]

I'm not usually as pessimistic as you can be sometimes, but I have to agree here. This feels like a recipe for trouble, and they better have a hell of a crowd control plan ready to go on opening night.

I'll be pessimistic and straight up say I don't even think they care lol.

 

[Rideguy70]

I wouldn't be surprised if they make the APs already in the park, waiting for the lower lot, use the extended Transformers queue, like they did for morning guests that were trying to visit SNW during their Early Entry time.

 

[Jerroddragon]

Are we expecting the early entry mazes to be all 4 on the Lower Lot? Assuming they will drop that information semi soon?

Mean, unless ST & Last of Us arent

I wouldn't be surprised if they make the APs already in the park, waiting for the lower lot, use the extended Transformers queue, like they did for morning guests that were trying to visit SNW during their Early Entry time.

Won’t that be used as Q for stranger things?

 

[saint.piss]

Heads up, opening night has sold out for FFPs. Really bummed out about this

 

[Rideguy70]

Meh, I never like to go opening night anyway. Too crowded, too much media slowing things down, and crowd control still needs to get ironed out.

 

[deadbydawn]

Meh, I never like to go opening night anyway. Too crowded, too much media slowing things down, and crowd control still needs to get ironed out.

I believe they actually capped it last year on opening night. It didn’t feel that bad. We’ll see about this year.

 

[Jerroddragon]

Last year the lines didnt get over 40 mins after like 8 pm, it was insane

 

[viking_wizard_eyes]

Meh, I never like to go opening night anyway. Too crowded, too much media slowing things down, and crowd control still needs to get ironed out.

Huh? Too crowded? They deliberately cap general attendance so the celebs aren’t bothered and media has enough time/space to get their content. It’s literally the only night of the year where you can do everything without an express.

 

[Wigglepebbles]

Last year the lines didnt get over 40 mins after like 8 pm, it was insane

Halloween was like 70 min all the time